Anthera Floral: 10 Questions with Melissa Pack

Florist - Melissa Pack

Business: Anthera Floral
Location: Normandy Park, Washington WA
Experience: 10+ Years
Profile: Anthera Floral
Website: antherafloral.com

1. Introduction: What's your story?

My name is Melissa, and I’m the owner and lead designer at Anthera Floral. Thank you for visiting us!

Anthera is a full-service floral design company based in Seattle, WA. We specialize in weddings and events, but also love creating florals for everyday occasions, memorials, product shoots, and editorials.

We deliver everyday flowers to the greater Seattle area, and provide florals for weddings and events all across the pacific northwest.

Our clients have described Anthera’s aesthetic as organic, whimsical, and romantic. Our work is led by color and texture, and inspired by the way flora naturally occurs and thrives in the wild. We also value high quality design and product more than your average florist.

2. What's your experience as a wedding florist business? How many weddings are in there in your portfolio?

When I was 17 I got my first job as a florist at a tiny flower shop in my hometown of Edmonds, WA. Since then, my love of flowers has grown into a passion for seeking joy, beauty, & healing through floral design.

Clients have described my aesthetic as organic, airy, romantic and whimsical. My work is inspired by the way flora naturally occurs and thrives in the wild. I love how various elements of nature work hand in hand—from the honey bees connecting flower to flower—to the foliage and vines reaching longingly toward the sun—all parts coming together to create beautifully structured chaos.

In 2010 I started my own business in Seattle and have been working in floral design for weddings, events and retail in the greater northwest ever since.

As a designer and lover of all flowers, my dearest hope is to combine my experience and expertise with your vision—together creating a floralscape that adds an element of fresh, natural botanical beauty to your event, occasion or shoot.

3. How far in advance do couples need to secure your services?

We take wedding orders up to two years ahead of time and even some last minute. However, we generally get booked out 1 year in advance.

4. How do you price your floral arrangements? What are the different packages that you offer and which one is your most popular package?

We know how expensive weddings are, and so we want to be flexible and respectful of your budget. It's good to keep in mind that some flowers are pricier than others, and prices tend to fluctuate depending on the season. There is also a huge spectrum of floral design options and techniques possible. For all of these reasons, we customize our pricing depending on your unique circumstances and desires.

But we know too that the more info we can give you to help you in this process the better, so here are a few examples of starting costs for typical arrangements:

Bridal bouquet: $225+ / Bridesmaids: $95+ / Boutonnieres: $25+ / Ceremony Arch $750+ / Table arrangements: $95+. During our busiest time of the year, May-October, we have a minimum of 3K for all full-size weddings, which includes delivery, installation and uninstallation..

For elopements and mini-weddings, our minimum order is $245, and includes a beautiful bridal bouquet and 1 boutonniere. Additional arrangements needed will be added on to this starting cost. All elopements and mini-wedding orders must be picked up in Normandy Park.

Giving back is also an important value at Anthera Floral, so we partner financially with the Ugandan-based nonprofit LeadMinds Africa. They work to develop young leaders in East Africa through education, leadership training, and life skills. To learn more about their work, visit www.leadmindsafrica.org.

5. How many meetings will you have with the couple, and how will they be involved?

Anthera Floral's number one priority is our cherished clients. When you choose Anthera for your wedding flowers, you will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of care, support and attention you will receive—just read our reviews!

We love working with our clients to create a totally unique floral story that is perfect for them. Once you have completed the wedding details questionnaire and received your estimate, we will schedule a free phone consultation to learn more about your wedding story, vision, and floral needs. This consultation will enable us to create a customized quote and mood board for you to help in your decision making.

Once confirmed, we'll draw up the contract and you can make your deposit to hold the date. Throughout the process we are here to answer any questions, update details, give advice, or help you with whatever you need. We'll also check in well before the wedding to make sure we are all set.

On the day-of, we will have all the details figured out beforehand and be ready to setup on time. We love working with other venders too, and are happy to be available if floral details need to be revised close to the date or on-site. We are here for you throughout the whole process!

6. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?

Anthera Floral is currently made up of Melissa (Owner, Lead Designer) and Erin (Floral Designer and Office Assistant). During your time working with us, you may encounter one or both of them to guide you through the process. For day of activities, it all depends on the size and complexity of the floral design, but we could have anywhere from 1-8 staff.

7. How would you describe your design style? (e.g. traditional, modern, rustic, organic)

Our clients have described Anthera’s aesthetic as organic, whimsical, and romantic. Our work is led by color and texture, and inspired by the way flora naturally occurs and thrives in the wild. We also value high quality design and product more than your average florist.

8. Who will handle setup and delivery? What other services do you offer?

Setup, delivery, and takedown is all included in our services. We also offer pickup for elopements and smaller wedding orders.

We also offer bouquet preservation after the wedding for a lifetime keepsake!

9. What happens to the flowers after the wedding?

We usually return to the venue the night of or next day to takedown and dispose of the flowers. Clients are welcome to take flowers home with them at the end of the night, but vases must be returned unless previously coordinated with us. Upon request, we also can arrange for a nonprofit to pickup the flowers and transfer them to healthcare facilities.

10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?

Our cancellation and refund policy is intricate and all explained in our contract. For the most part, we take cancellations up to 1 month prior to the wedding which involve a cancellation fee and return of the remaining deposit. Less than one month cancellation, the deposit cannot be refunded.